The 2018-2019 Hall Warriors Men’s Soccer team was a group of athletes determined to conquer their goal – win their first state championship since 1980. The Warriors were heartbroken after a historic season ended in New Britain with a loss against Glastonbury. After playing a near perfect game, the players’ reactions to the team’s defeat showed how much the crown meant to all of them. 

The senior class was the driving force behind last year’s third-ranked Hall Warriors. Senior captain Clay Courtmanche, currently playing Division I soccer at the University of New Hampshire, was named All-State after the season. 

The loss was difficult for Courtmanche for several reasons: “I knew in my heart we deserved to win. Not only were we a better team but we had more heart, we were more of a family, and we fought with a purpose,” he explained.

He also explained, “I wanted to win a championship for Coach Zeke so bad because he has never won one and he is such a great coach and humble person.” 

Courtmanche had 17 goals during his senior year, all while playing a position he had never performed before in a Hall uniform.  After going through three years of impressive goalie play, Courtmanche was willing to step onto the field as a different threat, ready to put up some big offensive numbers. 

When asked how he felt about handing the goalie job to junior Max Kershen and jumping into the new position at forward, Courtmanche praised, “I have complete confidence in Max.  He is a very smart player who can change games with his goal stopping ability.”

Another stand out talent who graduated was the coach’s son, Max Seguro, who is currently attending the University of Connecticut and working his way onto the roster of the Huskies men’s soccer team. 

Seguro was a leader, saying, “That team meant everything to me…I remember we would say toward the end of the season that we wish this was year-long because we just loved being together and doing everything together.”

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and Seguro noted, “Knowing that my soccer career was over just hit me so bad.”   But, he is moving on with the hope of seeing his brother “and everyone else that was on that team succeed and see them win the championship because I believe that we were cheated out of a title” by the controversial no-call of offsides during the historic game.

The underclassmen from the championship run are ready to take that next step and follow in the footsteps of the seniors. The trio on the rise who all had significant roles in the title run are Evan Jones, Drew Seguro and Jamie Cowan.

The Hall High School community will never forget the 2018 men’s soccer team, but the future is bright and the spotlight shines on the 2019-2020 men’s Hall soccer team as they kickoff their “Revenge Tour.”